Tokamak cooling systems and power conversion system options

Moscato, I.; Barucca, L.; Bubelis, E.; Caruso, Gianfranco; Ciattaglia, S.; Ciurluini, Cristiano; Nevo, Alessandro Del; Maio, P.A. Di; Giannetti, Fabio; Hering, W.; Lorusso, Pierdomenico; Martelli, Emanuela; Narcisi, Vincenzo; Norrman, Sixten; Pinna, T.; Pérez-Martín, S.; Quartararo, A.; Szogradi, Marton; Tarallo, Andrea; Vallone, E.

doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2022.113093

Cited by 32 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Similar studies performed for the helium-cooled pebble bed (HCPB) BB concept are reported in [13]. For the HCPB EU-DEMO concept, the BB PHTS is divided into six loops for outboard (OB) blankets and three loops for inboard (IB) blankets [14], while for the WCLL concept, the pre-conceptual design provides single cooling loops for the BZ and FW, respectively [15]. Consequently, a large amount of coolant could be released in the containment after a LOCA event.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Development of a Thermal-Hydraulic Model for the EU-DEMO Tokamak Building and LOCA Simulation

et al. 2023

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The EU-DEMO must demonstrate the possibility of generating electricity through nuclear fusion reactions. Moreover, it must denote the necessary technologies to control a powerful plasma with adequate availability and to meet the safety requirements for plant licensing. However, the extensive radioactive materials inventory, the complexity of the plant, and the presence of massive energy sources require a rigorous safety approach to fully realize fusion power’s environmental advantages. The Tokamak building barrier design must address two main issues: radioactive mass transport hazards and energy-related or pressure/vacuum hazards. Safety studies are performed in the frame of the EUROfusion Safety And Environment (SAE) work package to support design improvement and evaluate the thermal-hydraulic behavior of confinement building environments during accident conditions in addition to source term mobilization. This paper focuses on developing a thermal-hydraulic model of the EU-DEMO Tokamak building. A preliminary model of the heat ventilation and air conditioning system and vent detritiation system is developed. A loss-of-coolant accident is studied by investigating the Tokamak building pressurization, source term mobilization, and release. Different nodalizations were compared, highlighting their effects on source term estimation. Results suggest that the building design should be improved to maintain the pressure below safety limits; some mitigative systems are preliminarily investigated for this purpose.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Development of a Thermal-Hydraulic Model for the EU-DEMO Tokamak Building and LOCA Simulation

et al. 2023

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“…The DCD concept is presently considered the most viable option due to the heat storage size reduction as well as the lack of the AUXB. An extended comparison among the available options of the BoP is reported in [4].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although large benefits are expected from the design, construction, and operation of ITER [2], there are some outstanding physics, material, and engineering challenges that are specific for DEMO. They have been recently grouped in eight Key Design Integration Issues (KDIIs), selected for their impact on plasma physics and tokamak architecture, safety, and maintainability [3,4]. Among those KDIIs, the Balance of Plant (BoP) Power Conversion System (PCS) has been recognized to have a crucial role in the design and licensing of DEMO, due to the pulsed regime that characterizes such a fusion power plant.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of EU-DEMO WCLL Power Conversion System in Two Relevant Balance of Plant Configurations: Direct Coupling with Auxiliary Boiler and Indirect Coupling

et al. 2022

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Among the Key Design Integration Issues (KDIIs) recently selected for the DEMOnstration Fusion Power Plant (DEMO), the operation of the Balance of Plant (BoP) Power Conversion System (PCS) has been recognized as a crucial aspect, due to the typical pulsed regime characterizing the fusion power plant. In the framework of the DEMO Water-Cooled Lead-Lithium Breeding Blanket (WCLL BB) concept, three BoP solutions have been recognized to be able to overcome this issue. They rely on different coupling options between the Primary Heat Transfer Systems (PHTSs) and the PCS: an Indirect Coupling Design (ICD) with Intermediate Heat Transport System (IHTS) and Energy Storage System (ESS), a Direct Coupling Design (DCD) with AUXiliary Boiler (AUXB), and a DCD with small ESS. The present paper deals with a preliminary feasibility assessment of the first two solutions. The analysis, carried out with the GateCycleTM code, referred to a preliminary design phase, devoted to the sizing of the main components, and to a second phase focused on the cycle optimization. The study demonstrated the feasibility of the two BoP concepts. They are able to produce a satisfactory average electric power (>700 MW) with an acceptable average net electric efficiency (33.6% for both concepts). For each solution, the main strengths and weaknesses are compared and discussed.

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“…Unlike ITER reactor, DEMO is conceived to provide electricity to the grid. Since the energy conversion and cooling systems of the tokamak ( [2], [3]) have a fundamental role to the realization and the licensing of the plant, a detailed assessment of their features is needed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal-hydraulic study of the EU-DEMO Helium Cooled Pebble Bed Breeding Blanket Primary Heat Transport System

Vallone,

Agnello,

Bongiovì

et al. 2024

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

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The European DEMO reactor will work under normal operating conditions in accordance with a pulsed duty cycle. However unplanned and planned transients of plasma overpower may occur compromising the integrity of its plasma-facing components structures. Consequently, adopting appropriate tools is essential to accurately and consistently model the thermal-hydraulic response of the involved cooling systems under both normal operating conditions and accidental events. Given this background, the University of Palermo, in collaboration with EUROfusion, started a research work to study the thermal-hydraulic behaviour of the Primary Heat Transport System (PHTS) of the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed Breeding Blanket (HCPB BB) of the DEMO device under steady-state and transient conditions. The activity has been performed adopting a computational approach, employing the thermal-hydraulic system code TRACE version 5.0 patch 6. The key point of the work has been the code-to-code benchmark with the outcomes previously obtained with the RELAP5-3D code, to estimate the impact of the physical models, numerical resolution schemes and modelling techniques adopted on the predictive capabilities of the system codes considered. The models and the analysis results are presented and critically discussed herein.

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Tokamak cooling systems and power conversion system options

Cited by 32 publications

References 22 publications

Development of a Thermal-Hydraulic Model for the EU-DEMO Tokamak Building and LOCA Simulation

Development of a Thermal-Hydraulic Model for the EU-DEMO Tokamak Building and LOCA Simulation

Analysis of EU-DEMO WCLL Power Conversion System in Two Relevant Balance of Plant Configurations: Direct Coupling with Auxiliary Boiler and Indirect Coupling

Thermal-hydraulic study of the EU-DEMO Helium Cooled Pebble Bed Breeding Blanket Primary Heat Transport System

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